Jimmy Butler returned to the Miami lineup and produced 25 points and 15 rebounds, leading the Heat to a 120-116 overtime win over the host Boston Celtics on Friday.
The Celtics saw their five-game winning streak end as they fell for the second time in 16 games.
Butler’s first appearance since Nov. 16 proved to be a hit for the Heat, as the four-time All-NBA honoree and five-time All-Defensive Team selection bolstered Miami.
He led a defensive effort against Boston’s prolific scorer, Jayson Tatum, holding the standout wing to 14 points on 5-of-18 shooting from the floor — more than 17 points below Tatum’s season average coming into the contest and 35 points fewer than Tatum scored in the Celtics’ win over the Heat on Wednesday.
On offense, Butler’s contributions included a clutch fallaway jumper with 5.6 seconds remaining in regulation, pushing Miami’s lead to three points.
Jaylen Brown answered, however, sinking a 3-pointer just before the buzzer to force overtime. Brown scored a game-high 37 points and shot 12 of 23 from the floor, including 5 of 11 from 3-point range. He also grabbed a team-high 14 rebounds to go with five assists.
In the extra frame, Butler and Bam Adebayo took control down the stretch, scoring Miami’s final eight points. Adebayo led the Heat overall with 28 points on 10-of-18 shooting, and he pulled down seven rebounds.
Tyler Herro shot 6 of 10 from beyond the 3-point arc, accounting for more than half of the Heat’s 11 made 3-pointers, en route to 26 points. Kyle Lowry put up 20 points, five rebounds and four assists.
The Celtics were denied a 6-0 homestand before they hit the road for six in a row starting Sunday in Brooklyn.
Marcus Smart and Grant Williams each scored 18 points in the loss. Smart dished nine assists.
Tatum finished with a double-double in spite of his uncharacteristic poor shooting, grabbing 12 rebounds.
–Field Level Media
